


#1 Dad

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2021 [12]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fusion, Demons, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Prompt Fill, Watchers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for 100 Words on Love & Hate prompt:Prodigal son, Malcolm Bright, He wished he could truly hate his father, but some small part of him will always love him.In which Malcolm is trying to figure things out and Gil is there to offer his support.
Series: Bite Sized Fic 2021 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108508
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2021





	#1 Dad

“Hey, kid,” Gil said. He pulled out a chair and sat across the table.

Malcolm had snuck into the school library after hours to research the prophetic visions he’d just started having. Edrisa was combing the internet, but they both agreed the answer probably lay in the Watcher’s vast library of ancient texts.

“How’d you know I was here?”

Gil raised an eyebrow. “I’m not giving away all my secrets. What are you doing here?”

Malcolm shrugged. “Just research.”

“Dani says things have been off with you. I’m guessing it has something to do with the new informant you supposedly found.”

Edrisa thought Gil knew just about everything, and Malcolm tended to agree. Maybe he wasn’t great at the tech stuff – cell phones, internet searches, GPS tracking – but he could read people like a psychic and he had an encyclopedic knowledge of supernatural creatures.

Malcolm had to look away before his expression betrayed him.

“Everything’s fine. Honestly.”

“Don’t try to snow me, Malcolm. You should’ve come to me right away. This isn’t something you keep to yourself.”

Of course he knew. Malcolm didn’t know why he bothered trying to keep things secret.

“Does Dani know? Is she mad?”

Gil gave him a sympathetic look. “I didn’t tell her, but you should. We’re a team. There can’t be any secrets.”

Malcolm nodded. “I know. I just…She won’t trust me if she knows my demon side is coming out.”

“You don’t know that’s what this is,” Gil said.

“What else would it be? My dad’s a demon. I know what that means.”

He’d never forget the day he saw his father’s true face, his demonic visage. Malcolm had literally peed his pants. Now he had to worry about his own face changing.

“I know a lot about your dad,” Gil said. “I know his strengths and weaknesses. I know what he’s capable of. You’re nothing like him.”

Malcolm sighed. “Everyone thought he was normal, too. When I was a kid, he coached my Tee-ball team. He came to every parent-teacher conference. He had friends. People liked him. No-one knew he was really a monster.”

He remembered giving his dad one of those little plastic trophies for Father’s Day. #1 Dad. Malcolm hated Martin Whitly for tainting those happy memories, for letting his demon destroy everything.

“It’s okay,” Gil said softly. “It’s okay to love him for who he was.”

“I don’t love him!” Malcolm shouted. “I hate him! He ruined everything, and now I’m turning into a monster just like him and it’s all his fault! He’s going to ruin everything for me!”

He pushed away from the table to pace around the library. His hand started shaking so he crossed his arms and tucked it in his armpit.

“He should be teaching me to drive! And giving me advice about girls!” Malcolm was mortified to be so close to tears. “I don’t want these stupid visions! I don’t want Dani and Edrisa to be afraid of me, like I am of him!”

Gil stood up and moved in front of Malcolm, stopping him in his tracks.

“They’re not afraid of you, and neither am I.” He put his hands on Malcolm’s shoulders. “So what do you say we figure out what these visions mean, and how we can use them to help Dani do her job.”

Malcolm nodded. “Okay.”

“You’re a good guy,” Gil said solemnly. “Try to remember that.” 

Malcolm sat back down, tried to focus. Tried to forget how much he’d loved his dad, once upon a time.

Tried to pretend a tiny part of him still didn’t.


End file.
